Testimonials

"Sharyn and Paul,

Thanks for a great week. This time it was pretty close to sheer hell. Our passage controller (nice bloke) parked us outside a pub and the boys couldn't go in and buy smokes.

I was wrapped with all the stages. The standard of difficulty was spot on making the tougher teams bubble to the top and it wasn't just about horsepower – although longer legs in the sand would be nice. Norm and Kym demonstrated extreme guts and determination barely keeping man and machine going – congratulations on a well deserved win. Great to see 2 diesels in the top 3. Best rebuild I saw was the Merritts welding the ball back onto their diff/axle housing and then see them tackle the next two days @ Nundooka and Poolamacca 1. Don't forget to get that diff housing replaced one day.

Plug time for a major sponsor – This is the second year in a row the Pro Comp X-Terrains (read Cross Terrain) didn't get a puncture. Last year they drove the length of the bog hole and this year they drove the water hole. I ran last year's set right up to the week before this year's OBC. In that time they did the Simex Pursuit and Pajero, helped set up the Alpine in snow, test drove Ateco tracks, set up nav runs, drove me to and from work every day and did the rounds as a delivery truck. They were then put on a marshal's rig and have more than 60% left on them – still! Not bad for a tyre to do all that – huh? The X Terrain is the perfect all rounder and compliments a set of Centipedes or Swampers on the battle rig.

Well done everyone and thanks for great company and good times."

- Hobzee, Car 10 (2005)

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"G'day Sharyn and Paul

Well another challenge down great mud section, we were looking forward to cliff hanger but plenty of other great ss to take its place. I can only wonder what will be in 2006."

- Kris Umhauer, Car 23 (2005)

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"Hi all

Just a short note to thank you and all your team for a fantastic and very challenging 4WD event. Having new challenges and new locations to test us all. The passage controllers were a great idea and co-ordination of all the teams early in the morning was quite a sight seeing all the lights drive in. Keep up the good work. Fingers crossed we might see you in the future."

- Neil Redpath, Car 51 (2005)

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"Dear Paul and Sharyn,

The toughest Australia Outback Challenge has been won and lost and what a fantastic event. As you know there were seven days of gruelling driving over terrain that would stop most 4WD's. We enjoyed the challenge immensely and we were more than ready and enthusiastic to drive all stages that ranged from the deep sticky mud and water at Viewmont, the steep soft sand at Dunian, the boulder strewn gorges with steep rock faces at Poolamacca and Nundooka and sometimes a mixture of all these features.

The Rangie excelled in all situations throughout the event even over the roughest gibber plains and we did not even get a puncture. Just as well we were held comfortably and securely in our SAAS harnesses as it was very rough. We also appreciated having on board ARB's OME LTR shock absorbers to control the bounce and the ARB Air Lockers for traction. As always AMV did a great job with the mechanicals and it wasn't anyone's fault that a tooth broke off the crown wheel. The locals in BH were absolutely marvellous in their generosity and hospitality in helping us get back into the event. By now you will be starting the post mortem with the Marshals and officials but let us say that they all did a wonderful job and we want to book Dave for our team leader next time. After all we spent a week training him!!

The choice of stages was excellent and though there was a problem at Viewmont it seems it may be the competitors who were at fault for not following the verbal instructions by the Starting Marshal to plot accurately.

Congratulations on a great event, and you have our support for the future as we believe that the OBC is truly a high quality International event."

- Michael and Wayne Smith - Car 55 (2005)